Western Health researchers, with a team led by A/Prof Craig Nelson, have been collaborating with general practitioners and researchers from the University of Melbourne and Victoria University to develop and test an electronic tool-based intervention targeting the detection and management of chronic disease in general practice.
A recent publication with baseline data from this project including 37 946 patients from Victorian general practices shows that general practice electronic medical record data could be used to assess chronic disease risk factor detection and disease testing, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. It also provides a snapshot of chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and risk factors for these conditions in Victorian general practice patients.
Findings of a stepped wedge trial assessing the outcomes of the electronic tool-based intervention are currently being prepared for publication.
